Moving from Knowledge to Action on Our Health

We all know we should do at least 30 minutes of exercise each day (at least three days a week). This list is to help us achieve this goal by incorporating exercise into our daily routines.

Walk More

Walking is easy on your joints, lifts your mood, and — if you keep up a brisk pace — benefits your heart, lungs, and waistline.

• Park further away from the store or your place of business so you have to do more walking on a regular basis.
• If you take public transportation, hop off a stop or two earlier than usual and “hoof it” from there.

Group Activities

Join or start a club of two or more dedicated to one form of health activity where you can support each other, such as:

• Bike clubs, Kickball clubs, or just shooting hoops regularly with friends.
• Co-worker lunchtime walking groups.
• Exercising as a family activity. New moms, take the baby in the stroller.
• Housework Counts – The motion of making a bed can burn around 230 calories an hour — so just imagine what mopping the floor can do, or washing and waxing the car. Make sure you put some time and effort into these tasks. You get a twofold payoff: a fitter body and a neater home.

Skip the Elevator

Take the stairs at work, apartment, shopping, or wherever possible and skip the elevator ride. Shoot for charging up a couple of flights about four times a day. This activity can do double duty, giving you a cardiovascular workout while strengthening several muscle groups in your legs.

Social Activates

Instead of watching TV at home, go dancing or ice-skating, play Frisbee at the park, or take one of the kids in your life to the playground and climb the monkey bars together.

Get in the Garden and weed, weed, weed.

You’ll get stretching, strengthening, and possibly even aerobic benefits, depending on which kinds of yard work you do and how hard you push yourself. With this workout, you also get fresh air and let go of a lot of stress, plus your plants will thrive along with you

Also…

Annual medical Check-ups, especially if you are over 40. Go with a buddy!

Some Smoking Cessation Programs –You have to STOP!

TobaccoFreeFamilies.org — 202-546-5864

NAATPN.org — 919-680-4000